Air cell



Aug. 13, 1940. H. H. RAuLERsoN AIR CELL Filed July 29, 1938 lill.

INVENTOR. Hcxr'ch` H. Roulerson ATTOR EY.

Patented Aug. 13, 1.940

UN1TED STATES PATENT oFFlcEf AIR CELL, Haray7H-nau1erson, LongBeacnceuf. Application July 29, lssaserial Nmfzzrsso..

Y ,s claims. (01.10.35.224)

This invention relates to improvements in pump air cells.

vThe general object ofthe invention is to provide an improved air cellwhich in combination with a reciprocating pump insures a more nearlyconstant flow than is possible with former equipment. f

Another object of the invention is to provide an air cell which may besunk in a Well and placed advantageously close tothe piston.

Another object of the invention is vto provide an air cell in which theair therein is automatically replenished.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel pump constructionwherein a plurality of air'cells areemployed. y

Another object of the invention is to provide anair cell in which theair is replenished through a hollow sucker rod. f

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent fromthefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,wherein: f

Fig. 1 is a View of apump wherein an air cell embodying the features oflmy invention is employed;

Fig. 2k isan enlarged' vertical section of the air cell;

' Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3--3 Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view showing a number of air cells in series;and

Fig. 5 isa vertical section showing a modied air cell.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters I have shown myinvention as embodied in an air cell which is indicated generally atIll. As shown in Fig. 1 the air cell IIJ is used in connection with anordinary well II, a double action pump I2, a. Well head assembly I4, asucker. rod l5 and a column IB.

The double action pump I2 is similar to the pump described in myco-pending application, Serial No'. 183,817, led January 7, 1938 and n-`cludes an outer barrel I2a, an inner barrel |25, a piston I2C within thebarrel |2b', upper inlet valves I3, a lower inlet valve I3a, an upperinner valve |312, and a lower inner valve |3c. The piston |2c isoperated by the sucker rod I5 and as the latter moves up and down theuid is raised during each movement.

As shown in Fig. 2' the air cell IU includes a hollow cylindrical bodyportion Il having upper internal threads I8 and lowerv internal threadsA lower coupling engages the threads I9 and an upper coupling 2| engagesthe threads I 8. Thecoupling 2| has a reduced portion 22 withlexternal.threads 23 engaging the lower yend of a collar 24 theupper end of whichthreadedly engages the lower end of the column I6. The couplingl20 has'areduced portion 25 having ex- 5 ternal threads 26` engaging the upperend of a collar 21 thelower end of which threadedly engages the pumpcylinder I2.

`The coupling ZI'has a central bore 28 with lower enlarged portion 29and a further enlarged 10 portion BIltherebelow. kWithin the enlargedportion 29 is positione'da hollow cylinder 3| vcoaxial with thebodyportion I7 and forming an annular chamber 32 therewith. The cylinder3| is preferably secured to the coupling 2| asby welding and 15* isfurther supported by' a spider 33 having a centralring v:i4 vengagingthe cylinder 3| and a plurality of radial legs 35 engaging the body por'tion II. -The coupling 20 has a central bore 33 having: anY upperenlarged portion 3l. rod I5 passes axially through the cell I0.

Itzvvill be seen that in operation the water'or other iiuid being pumpedwill rise through the hollow cylinder I'I and will partially ll theannular chamber 32, air or other gases being trapped therein. .l Thegases will have a beneficial cushioning effect producing a constant flowof water, and being adjacent the'pump cylinder I2 will be particularlyeffective in producing a smoothly performing pump.

The trapped air or gases will, however, in time be dissolved in theWater or other fluid and will need to be replenished. To this end Iprovide conduit means connected to an automatically controlled supply ofcompressed air or other gases. n

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a conduit 4U communicates with the chamber 32through an aperture 4| in the coupling 2 I. The conduit 40 passesupwardly from the cell Il) through the well II 40 and at its upperv endis connected to a compressed air reservoir 42 through a control system43. The reservoir 42 may be charged by an ordinary compressor I4 drivenby suitable means such as an electric motor 45.

The control system 43 includes a pressure gauge 46, a pressure operatedelectrical switch 4l and an electrically operated valve 48. When thepressure within the chamber 32 drops below a 50 predeterminedlimit,dependent upon the working head, the pressure operated switch 4l isclosed which in turn opens the electrically operated.l valve 48 so theair or other gas is fed to the chamber 32 until the pressure in thechamber 32 55 The sucker 20y is built up sufficiently to open the switch41 and thus cause the valve 48 to be closed.

As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4 a plurality of air cells ID may beintroduced into the column I6 at diierent depths being connected inseries to the air supply conduit 40'. Reducing valves 49 are disposedbetween the cells ID (except the lowest cell) and the conduit 40, as thepressure within eachvcell is a function of the depth, `the lower cellsrequiring greater pressure than the upper. 'I'he cells in thisarrangement would be used with an air reservoir 42 and a control valve48' similar to the reservoir and` valve previously described. The Valve48 is preferably operated by air pressure in the lowest cell.

In Fig. I have shown a modification of my invention as embodied in acellindicated generally at 50. The cell 50 includes a hollow cylindricalbody portion 5|, an upper coupling 52, and a lower coupling 53, thesecouplings being similar to the couplings previously described. Centrallypositioned within the body 5| I provide a hollow cylinder 54 supportedby spiders 55 similar to the spider 33. The cylinder 54 is longer thanthe pump stroke and has a gland 56 at the upper end thereof through`which a hollow sucker rod 51 passes. The sucker rod 51 has radialapertures 58 opening therefrom into the interior of the cylinder 54. Inoperation the cell 50 is used in a well as is the cell l0, the iiuidflowing through the annular passage between the body portion 5l and thecylinder 54, air being trapped within the cylinder 54 and replenished bymeans of the hollow sucker rod discharging through the apertures 58. Thesucker rod 51 is connected by a flexible conduit 59 to a control system6U similar to the control system 43.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have inventednew and useful improvements in air cells for pumps.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. In a pump construction having an elongated casing including aplurality of members, a sucker rod in said casing, said casing includinga plurality of cells, said cell being distributed along said casing,each of said cells including an elongated body having a cylindertherein, said cylinder forming with the body a chamber which has aclosed tcp portion and an open lower portion, said sucker rod passingthrough said casing and through said cylinders and means controlled bygas pressure in the lowest cylinder to supply gas under pressure to theupper portion of each of said cylinders.

2. In a pump construction having an elongated casing includingaplurality of members,a sucker rod in said casing, said casing includinga. plurality of cells, said cells being distributed along said casing,each of said cells including an elongated body having a cylindertherein, said cylinder forming with the body a chamber which has aclosed top portion and an open lower portion, said sucker rod passingthrough said casing and through said cylinders, means to supply gasunder pressure to the upper portion of each of said cylinders, conduitmeans to supply gas to each of said cylinders including a source of uidunder pressure, a valve actuated by gas pressure in the lowest cell forcontrolling communication between said source and said cells andpressure reducing means associated between said conduit and all of saidcells above the lowest cell.

3. In a pump including a casing, a sucker rod in the casing and means inthe casing operated by said sucker rod for raising fluid, saidcasinghaving a plurality of air cells therein, each of said air cellsincluding an outer body with a cylinder mounted in said outer body, thecylinders each engaging the outer body` at the upper end and being freefrom engagement with the outer body at its lower end, said cylindersbeing spaced from said outer body to form an annular gas cell, saidsucker rod being spaced from said cylinders, means adjacent the lowerend of the cylinders and engaging the body to support the cylinders,conduit means communicating with the upper portion of each of thecylinders and adapted to supply gas under pressure to the cylinders,means to supply gas under pressure to the conduit means and valve meanscontrolled by the pressure of gas in the lowest cell for controlling theflow of gas to each cylinder.

vHARDY H. RAULERSON.

